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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/catalogueofloaneOOpatt 


Catalogue 


of  Ik 


Loan  Exhibition 

of  Important  Worlds 

ty 

George  Inness 
Alexander  lV\)ant 
Ralph  Blakelock 


Held  at  the  Chicago  Galleries  of  Moullon  &  Ricl(ells 
March  Tenth  to  March  Twenty-Second  -  MCMXUI 


With  An  Apfirecialion  of  the  Life 
and  IVorks  oj  These  Masters  by 

James  IVilliam  Pattison 
Elliot!  Daingerfield 
George  W.  Stevens 
Harriett  Monroe 


This  Bool^  Is  Dedicated 

to  those  who  perceive  the  beauty  of  American 
Art,  and  appreciate  the  genius  of  its  maimers; 
who  believe  there  is  no  Art  in  the  Dwrld  which 
better  expresses  the  sentiment  of  landscape  in 
all  its  moods;  who  perceive  that  the  exact 
painting  of  individual  objects  is  of  less  impor- 
tance than  the  massing  together  of  larger 
parts;  that  the  light  which  envelops  all  things, 
that  the  atmosphere  which  permeates  them, 
and  the  trembling  vibration  which  suggests 
life  is  the  reality  of  landscape;  that  George 
Inness,  A.  H.  Wyant  and  Ralph  Blakelock 
were  the  men  who  best  appreciated  these  great 
truths  and  the  greatest  exponents  of  them. 

MOUL  TON  and  RiCKETTS 


Born  1825 
Died  1894 


George  Inness,  N.  A. 


An  Appreciation 

By  Elliot!  Daingerfield 


HE  constantly  growins^  interest  in  the  work  of  George  Inness,  the  wider 


and  better  understanding  of  the  master's  aims  in  his  art,  and  the  splendid 


awakening  to  our  patriotic  privilege  in  claiming  him  as  our  very  own,  seem 
warrant  enough,  if  warrant  were  needed,  for  giving  again  and  again  to  this  public 
all  the  information  and  thought  of  him  that  one  can  assemble.  We  shall,  ere  long, 
acclaim  him,  as  Holland  her  Rembrandt,  Spain  her  Velasquez,  or  France  her 
Corot,  and  with  equal  justice  of  claim.  In  his  art  there  is  nothing  ephermeral. 
It  is  sound  in  its  logic,  based,  as  all  great  art  must  be,  upon  knowledge,  and  bears 
in  its  bosom  the  deep  secret  of  Nature's  beauty  as  he  saw  and  understood  it. 
Somewhere  I  have  said  that  we  shall  not  know  the  Art  of  Inness  unless  we  place 


ourselves  squarely  on  the  platform  of  his  religious  convictions,  because  it  was 
through  the  influence  of  his  deeply  religious  nature  that  he  could  eliminate  the 
gross,  could  put  aside  all  clamor  or  vainglory  in  technique  and  seek  the  spiritual 
which  is  the  intent  and  the  success  of  his  highest  effort.  Yet  not  for  a  moment 
must  any  student  of  his  work  believe  there  was  disdain  for  technical  achievement, 
or  haphazard  in  his  execution.  Such  an  opinion  would  be  very  far  from  the 
truth. 

He  was  forever  seeking  to  settle  "principles"  of  treatment  that  he  might  be 
quite  free  for  the  higher  expression,  and  further,  one  may  point  to  certain  of  the 
earlier  things  and  ask  if  in  the  art  of  any  master  there  is  more  certainty  of  touch, 
more  excellence  of  drawing,  or  more  bravura  of  brush  handling  than  these  works 
show.  That  he  chose  to  broaden  it  later,  chose  to  fill  great  planes  with  simple 
tones,  chose  to  find  the  secret  of  plumed  elm  or  gnarled  oak  with  a  rul)  of  color, 
is  precisely  the  reason  we  must  see  the  master  in  such  work. 

"How,"  asked  a  painter  one  day,  "Can  you  make  a  foreground  so  full  of 
detail,  so  suggestive  of  growth,  of  weeds  and  grass  and  all  the  thousand  things 
which  the  rest  of  us  have  to  do  separately  and  in  detail,  and  you  achieve  with 
what  is  little  more  than  a  rub  of  color?"  "I  have  a  method  of  handling  my  brush 
that  is  all  my  own,"  replied  the  old  master.  If  then  you  are  only  interested  in 
technique,  you  must  look  in  (George  Inness  for  a  technique  that  is  all  his  own. 
Nowhere  else  will  you  find  it,  and  it  is  not  of  the  schools. 

Contrast,  which  is  drama,  tone  which  is  feeling,  color  which  is  religion — the 
all  in  all  when  made  to  express  form — light  which  is  immortality,  these  are  to  be 
found  in  the  art  of  George  Inness. 

Freedom!  was  ever  man  more  free  than  he?  Can  we  look,  unmoved,  with 
this  great  doctrine  in  our  hearts,  at  a  storm  swept  canvas  of  his?  Does  he  not 
bend  the  trees  to  his  will  and  fling  vast  curtains  of  cloud  across  a  scene  which 
but  a  moment  later  he  makes  to  glow  with  the  warmth  and  glory  of  sunshine  ? 

A  Spiritualist  ?  Yes,  and  sometimes  a  Spiritist,  because  he  was  always  an 
investigator.  Why  else  did  he  spend  long  days  and  destroy  picture  upon  picture 
to  verify  for  himself  the  theory  he  had  adduced,  that  the  greatness  of  color  must 
be  found  in  the  middle  tone? 

That  he  could  not  for  long  conform  to  any  particular  creed  or  method  of 
religion  was  because  of  his  impatience  with  restraint.  Xor  was  he  always  con- 
sistent.   \Vhat  emotional  artist  ever  is? 

If  (leorge  Inness  could  have  set  down  in  rule  formula  the  thmgs  he  dreamed 
of,  and  did  express  in  his  painting,  a  miracle  would  have  been  accomplished. 
We  should,  then,  to  hear  his  message,  to  love  his  work  in  the  right  way,  listen 
for  what  he  has  to  say  to  us  in  that  work,  and  we  shall  breathe  the  flower 
filled  atmosphere  of  the  Spring,  we  shall  see  the  orchards  in  blossom,  and  the 
passing  days  will  bring  us  the  full  leaf  of  green,  June-green  Summer,  and  pres- 
ently the  thunder  will  roll  over  the  hills,  the  clouds  stoop  low.  and  darkness  steal 
upon  the  land — until  indeed  the  master  hand  breaks  again  the  empyrean  blue  and 
bathes  a  dripping  world  in  sunshine.  We  shall  go  into  the  deep  and  silent  places 
of  the  woods,  make  acquaintance  with  giants  of  the  forest,  and  steal  upon  the  shy 
heron  in  his  haunt.  More,  much  more  has  he  given  us,  and  the  long  note  in  his 
art  as  in  his  life  is  Sincerity.  He  pronounced  anathema  upon  all  sham  or  wicked 
effrontery,  and  gave  intense  love  to  the  beauty  of  nature,  whicli  he  interjireted 
and  made  permanent  in  splendid  art. 


J  \7       A  Appreciation 

vjcorge  inness^  ly./i.     By james  mn  iam  Pattison 


I F  HAS  been  written  that  Inness  became  attached  to  Swedcnborgian  faith  in 
"later  years."  It  was,  however,  at  an  earlier  period  than  this  indicates. 
Through  the  influence  of  his  stepmother,  he  joined  the  Baptists  very  early 
in  life,  when  scarcely  more  than  a  boy.  But  this  society  dropped  him  because 
of  nonconformity  with  the  strict  practices,  and  his  independent  way  of  think- 
ing. Among  the  Baptists,  of  that  day,  there  could  be  no  exercise  of  inde- 
pendent thought.  In  fact,  he  was  already,  at  that  early  time,  carried  away 
by  the  beauties  of  Swedenborg's  doctrines,  especially  the  charming  theories 
regarding  the  relationships  of  colors.  He  attempted  to  weave  these  captivat- 
ing ideas  into  his  pictures.  One  of  his  troubles  was  to  realize  the  theories 
while  attempting  to  render  Nature  truthfully.  The  Lord  did  not  always 
sustain  the  pretty  schemes  of  the  religionists.  It  was  in  midlife,  about  twenty 
years  after  the  opening  of  his  audit  existence,  that  an  efl:'ort  was  made  to  give 
him  an  opportunity  to  fully  express  his  many-times  announced  theories.  A 
party  of  his  friends,  impressed  by  the  artist's  earnestness,  pledged  a  sum  of 
money  amounting  to  $10,000,  which  he  was  to  freely  use,  during  one  year, 
for  the  production  of  any  sort  of  pictures  to  illustrate  Swedcnborgian  theories. 

Inness  being  thus  relieved  of  the  trammels  of  poverty  worked  with  ex- 
altation and  greater  freedom.  He  secured  three  large  canvasses,  and  designed 
on  them  mystical  subjects:  "The  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death,"  "The  New 
Jerusalem,"  and  another  which  I  never  saw  and  know  nothing  of.  "The  Val- 
ley of  the  Shadow  of  Death"  grew  out  of  his  own  fancy,  as  he  found  no  model 
for  it  in  Nature.  The  larger  part  of  the  canvas  was  occupied  by  huge  masses 
of  gray  rock  and  bluish  purple  clouds,  piling  up  on  either  side  of  a  narrow 
passage  which  penetrated  the  confused  mass  dov/n  hill.  Down  in  the  depth 
a  solitary  figure,  in  white,  was  disappearing  to  involve  itself  in  "The  Shadow 
of  l^eath."  He  frequently  repeated  that  phrase — "Not  Death,  you  know,  but 
the  Shadow  of  Death." 

Did  he  make  masterpieces  of  these  i)ictures?  No.  Inness  was  your  true 
"Impressionist."  While  taking  all  sorts  of  liberties  with  the  Nature  he  saw 
and  painted  so  superbly,  he  could  only  express  himself  well  when  he  had 
actually  seen  it.  He  had  to  have  the  inspiration  of  a  true  impulse,  an  actual 
impression  in  order  to  start  the  workings  of  his  imagination.  For  these  great 
allegories  he  could  find  no  actual  motive.  His  pathos  became  bathos,  and 
the  colors  which  he  intended  to  be  clear  were  killed  down  by  overworking. 
It  was  a  case  of  a  man  mistaking  the  nature  of  his  genius. 

As  we  study  Inness'  exquisite  ]iaintings.  nothing  is  more  evident  than 
their  truth  to  Nature.  His  earliest  work  was  in  a  certain  degree  "hard."  It 
was  wonderfully  true  and  often  tender;  but  rarely  lovable.  But  as  we  all 
know  the  hardness  disappeared  and  very  soon  his  pictures  were  enveloped 
in  poetry  as  the  hills  are  in  glorious  mystery,  nor  do  any  of  us  regret  that  the 
artist's  Swedcnborgianism,  however  much  he  may  have  loved  it,  was,  for  the 
major  part  of  his  life,  but  little  manifest. 


GEORGE  INNESS  — "Path  Thru  Florida 
Pines,"  Size  42  x  32.— raintcd  in  1<S'H.   In  a 

])ictur(.>  of  this  sort  we  see  Inness  far  aloni;-  in 
tlie  path  which  leads  to  greatness.  In  liis 
entire  oiit])Ut  of  iiaintinjjs  it  is  rare  to  tind 
sucli  breadth  of  treatment,  hirgeness  of  out- 
doors, and  fine  combinations  of  lines.  'Tlie 
picture  certainly  is  a  threat  master])icce. 

— Loaned  by  the  ()\vncr. 


i 


Plate  II 

GEORGE  INNESS— "Home  of  the  Heron." 

Size  42  X  36.  The  picture  is  in  the  artist's  best 
])eriod  ;  it  was  painted  in  1891.  All  the  facts 
are  ])lain!y  rendered  while  the  mystery  of  the 
woodland  is  delightfully  maintained.  Sunshine 
falls  upon  the  monumental  tree  trunk  and  scat- 
ters itself  about  on  many  objects.  This  light  is 
repeated  in  the  sparkling  autumnal  foliage  and 
upon  a  dignified  heron,  standing  upon  a  fallen 
log  amid  a  tangle  of  flowering  weeds. 

— Loaned  by  J.  G.  Siiydacker,  Chicago.  > 


) 


Plate  III 

GEORGE  INNESS  —  "Summer— Montclair," 

Size  42  \  3i. — I'lic  artist's  home  was  in  a  coun- 
try with  fine  trees,  jriving  u])ri<'ht  lines  and 
luxuriant  folia<je.  Not  disturbed  bv  compli- 
cated composition,  the  artist  could  tjive  atten- 
tion to  that  which  he  did  best ;  to  refined  color, 
to  looseness  of  touch  and  mystery  in  form,  to 
poetical  treatment,  hardly  ecpialed  by  any 
painter.      —Loaned  by  S.  C.  Scott^n.  Chicago. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Return  to  the  Farm." 

Si/.f  3<S  X  20.  One  of  the  artist's  rare  figure 
subjects,  til  is  old  man  is  characterful.  A  ray 
of  sunshine  falls  redly  and  afifectionately  on  his 
shoulder,  a  caressing  greeting.  His  old.  faded 
blue  trousers  and  no-colored  coat  suggests  the 
general  arrangement  of  vibrating  tints  of  simi- 
lar quality,  from  the  indescribable  blue  of  tlie 
low  toned  sky,  througli  several  greens  and 
earth  cf)lors ;  even  the  flesli  in  kee])ing  with 
them.  — Loaned  by  .S.  C.  Srottcn,  Chii-a.tro. 


1t 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Medway,  Mass."  Size 
20  X  30.  Painted  in  1869.  This  view  over  wide 
extensive  landscai)e  is  certainly  full  of  interest 
as  it  is  full  of  actualities  ;  and  evidently  a  s])eci- 
fic  locality  and  not  a  c()ni])osition.  The  jrrccns 
of  midsummer  are  wonderfully  well  manatjed, 
and  literal  truth  marks  every  inch  of  the  laud- 
scape.  While  the  painter  did  not  indulge  hini- 
self  with  the  mysticisms  of  his  later  paintin,<js, 
the  atmosphere  and  Vi^ht  of  the  summer  time 
are  well  rendered. 

—Loaned  by  Ira  M.  Cobe.  ChicaRo. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "A  Sunny  Autumn 
Day,"  Size  32x42.  Painted  in  1892.  A  bril- 
liant autumn  day,  a  line  of  wliite  clouds  tra- 
verses the  sky,  and  next  to  it  a  bank  of  au- 
tumnal trees,  beside  a  long-  strip  of  brilliant 
green,  beyond  a  dark  green  meadow  ;  superb 
trees  in  autumn  color,  red  on  the  right  and 
broken  yellow  and  bronze  color  on  the  left. 

—Loaned  hy  Mrs.  Chauncey  J.  Blair. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "The  Coming  Storm," 
Size  25x30.  Painted  in  1873.  This  dark,  stormy 
sky  shows  spots  of  a  slaty  blue  in  the  open- 
ings. Against  this  dark  sky  the  trees  are  in 
great  variety  of  greens,  brilliantly  lighted  l)y 
low  sun.  The  flat  foreground  is  neutral  and 
mellow. 

— Loaned  by  Ralph  Cudney. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Late  Afternoon."  Size 
27  X  22.  It  is  a  low  toned  paintint^,  made  in 
Summer,  but  reduced  to  rich  tones.  The  sun- 
light faces  through  the  middle  of  a  meadow  not 
far  off  and  catches  on  the  principal  tree  trunk. 
The  correct  drawing  of  these  trees  gives  an 
excellent  effect,  and  mellow  color  was  never 
made  better. 

—  Loaned  by  J.  G.  Sn\  dnckcr,  Chicago. 


I'latc  IX 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Early  Summer,"  Size  18 
X  30 — Painted  in  1880.  Inncss  was  very  fond 
of  studyinfT  an  effect  wliich  artists  are  likely 
to  avoid — the  intense  p^reens  of  early  Summer. 
There  are  few  artists  who  can  compete  with 
him  in  rendering  this  problem.  The  coolness 
and  restfulness  of  these  green  i^ictures  make 
them  very  acceptable.  In  tlic  midst  of  all  this 
youth  the  old  man  trudges  along  clumsily. 

— Loaned  by  Hackley  Art  Gallery. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Moonrise,  Montclair," 

Size  30x45 — It  is  a  charming  display  of  what 
can  be  done  with  one  tone;  a  peculiar  brown 
tint  has  been  very  thinly  rubbed  all  over  the 
canvas.  The  thickness  and  thinness  of  the 
paint  serving  to  define  trees  and  houses,  sky 
and  meadow,  sheep  and  figure.  This  continued 
brown  tone  is  relieved  by  a  blue  si)ot  in  tlie 
middle  of  the  sky,  continuing  along  the  hor- 
—Loaned  by  R.  C.  Vose,  Boston. 


Plan-  XI 


GEORGE  IN  NESS— "Milton  on  the  Hudson." 

Size  20  X  30.  A  quiet  gray  green  June  picture, 
low  gray  sky  with  vague  clouds ;  the  greenish, 
lighted  strip  of  near  ground  whispers  very  ten- 
derly and  all  the  cast  .-shadows  caress  the 
ground  affectionately.  Without  any  violent 
light  or  shade  it  recalls  luminous  summerday, 
when  the  light  is  diffused  throughout  all  the 
soothing  picture. 

— Loaned  by  L.  C.  Ea.stman,  Clinton,  la. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Sunset  on  the  Coast— 
Etretat,"  Size  18;/'  x  26 — This  picture  shows 
us  the  cliffs  at  Etretat,  France,  where  the 
sea  lias  (gradually  eaten  away  the  softest 
stone,  leaving  the  harder  forming  an  arch,  and 
beyond  it  a  rock  needle.  When  the  tide  comes 
in  all  this  foreground  will  be  under  water.  The 
lower  sky  is  brilliant  with  sunset  colors. 

— Loaned  by  R.  C.  Vose.  Boston. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Approaching  Storm," 

Size  11x14 — The  weird  \'\<rht  wliich  precedes 
the  comiii<T  storm,  when  the  last  rays  of  the 
sun  catch  the  still,  unclouded  trees,  gives  op- 
portunity for  the  making  of  a  true  picture. 
There  is  something  intensely  poetical  in  tlie 
eflfect  the  artist  has  here  secured. 

— Loaned  by  the  Owner. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Evening  Glow."  Size 
24  X  18.  I'aiiited  in  1883.  In  sentiment  this 
picture  strikingly  suggests  a  painting  made  for 
color  contrasts  rather  than  actualities  of  land- 
scai)e  incident.  There  is  just  enough  form  and 
just  enough  light  and  shade  to  make  tlie  sky 
glow  and  give  value  to  its  evening  efifect.  This 
proves  the  artist's  high  calling,  inasmuch  as  it 
is  not  scenery  l)ut  artistic  treatment. 

— Loaned  hy  G.  IT.  Buck.  \'c\v  York. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Morning  Mists,"  Size 
20  X  30.— Painted  in  1887.  The  picture  is  all 
grey.  The  round  sun  near  tlie  horizon  accents 
the  center  of  the  picture.  Tliere  is  a  group  of 
boats,  their  dark  hulls  of  the  same  quality  of 
grey  ;  some  have  light  sails  and  others  dark. 
The  only  contrast  in  all  this  tone  is  a  Ijit  of 
mysterious  warm  colored  sky.  All  is  beauti- 
fully handled. 

— Loaned  by  S.  C.  Scottcn,  Chicago. 


Plate  XVI 


GEORGE  INNES  S— "Landscape."  Size 
12  X  16.  Inness  has  painted  a  level  country 
witli  long,  horizontal  lines  ;  the  suggestions  of 
distant  farms  are  very  interesting,  including 
the  windmill  in  middistance.  The  foreground 
suggests  a  waterway,  its  edges  broken  and 
marshy,  except  one  side  built  into  a  raised  tow- 
path,  where  a  boat  is  moored.  The  expansive 
sky  is  fretted  by  moist  clouds,  mysterious  and 
full  of  light. 

— Loaned  by  Frank  B.  .Stnne.  Chicago. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Spring  Showers,"  Size 
42x32 — Scarcely  any  of  tliis  artist's  pictures 
are  more  mysterious  than  this  one.  The  fresh 
greens  of  sprins^  foliaj^e  are  dclitjhtfully  ren- 
dered, beinc;  clear  but  still  fjray.  The  grass  in 
front  is  low  toned  and  neutral.  There  is  a 
sense  of  wetness  in  every  part.  Xo  brij^ht  col- 
ors an])ear  on  the  canvas. 

— Loaned  by  Ralph  Cudncy. 


Plate  XVIII 


« 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Glowing  Sun."  Painted 
in  1894.  Size  24x36.  The  picture  is  not  as 
dark  as  tlie  plioto  suggests;  pale  yellowish  sun 
is  surrounded  by  brilliant  red,  the  same  color 
edging  all  the  clouds.  The  red  permeates  tlie 
distance  and  echoes  in  the  warm  foreground. 
The  trees  are  neutral  green. 

— Loaned  hy  Ralpli  Ciidney. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "The  Two  Rainbows." 

Size  20  X  30.  Painted  in  1893.  This  effect  of 
wet  trees,  brilliantly  sunlighted  and  working? 
pale  against  a  rainy  sky,  was  a  favorite  with 
Inness  at  a  certain  period.  As  the  sun  is  at  our 
backs,  the  white  house  and  ])ale  branches  gleam 
brilliantly. »  In  the  vapory  sky  rainbows  softly 
show  themselves. 

— Loaned  by  the  ()wnei. 


i 


GEORGE  I  N  N  E  S  S— "Albano-Italy."  Size 
11  X  15^.  No  painter  of  literalism  could  have 
invented  this  dreamland,  and  niayhe  that  In- 
ness  was  very  much  himself  wiiile  paintimx 
Italy.  His  jjreat  merit  was  his  al)ilitv  to  jiaint 
actual  scenes  so  deli.qiitfully  idealized  that  tliey 
please  our  ])oetical  instincts. 

— Loaned  by  G.  II.  Buck.  Xcw  York. 


Plate  XXI 


GEORGE  INNES  S— "June,"  Size  '^xli. 
Painted  in  1891.  This  little  picture  somewhat 
recalls  similar  scenes  by  Corot.  There  are 
varied  <;'reen  trees,  a  mellow-toned  ^rcen  mead- 
ow, and  a  thatched  cottage.  The  sky  is  liLjht 
and  cool  and  neutral. 

— Loaiu'd  liy  tlic  Owner. 


Plate  XXII 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Pequonic  River,"  Size 
IS  X  26. —  raintcd  in  1876.  The  i)icture  is  one 
of  Inness'  studies  of  early  June  foliage  and,  of 
course,  shows  a  variety  of  tints  of  ([uite  i)ure 
g-reen,  and  the  same  is  reflected  in  the  water. 
The  little  strip  of  foreground  strand  is  also 
cool,  and  all  these  colors  harmonize  with  a 
broken  bhie  sky  running  into  pale  salmon- 
colored  liglits.  —Loaned  by  the  Owner. 


GEORGE  INNESS— "Twilight,"  Size  18x 
24.  Painted  in  1887.  The  entire  picture  is  a 
series  of  low-toned,  broken  screens — very  mel- 
low ;  some  bright  reddish  spots  in  the  sky  gives 
this  a  delightful  effect  of  twilight. 

— Loaned  by  Ralph  Cudney. 


ALEXANDER    H.  WYANT 


An  Apprecialion  Born  1836 

By  George  W.  Steoem  Deid  1892 

Alexander  H.  Wyant,  N.  A. 

ALEXANDER  H.  WYANT,  revered  as  he  was  during  life  by  those  who  felt 
the  mastery  of  his  art,  has  with  the  passing  of  the  years  been  accorded  a 
more  and  more  exalted  position  in  the  galaxy  of  masters  whose  art  will 
endure  for  all  time. 

The  record  of  each  generation  striving  to  make  its  contribution  to  the  sum 
of  man's  achievement,  is  illumined  by  only  a  few  rare  masters  in  each  branch  of 
human  endeavor  such  as  a  Chaucer  or  a  Shakespeare  in  literature,  a  Mozart  or  a 
Wagner  in  music,  a  Hals  or  a  Whistler  in  art,  and  so  it  is  out  of  the  multifarious 
activities  of  his  time,  Wyant  stands  forth  as  one  who  in  his  work  will  live  for  all 
time  that  is  to  come. 

With  other  masters  cast  in  a  similar  mold  he  sprang  into  life,  as  did  Minerva, 
fully  accoutered.  Environment  during  his  early  life  contributed  nothing  to  his 
genius,  for  until  he  was  twenty  years  of  age,  it  had  not  been  his  privilege  to  look 
upon  anything  that  could  be  called  a  work  of  art.  His  first  visit  to  a  city  of  any 
considerable  size  brought  him  before  a  canvas  by  Inness,  who  at  once  became  his 
inspiration  and  later  his  friend  and  admirer. 

With  the  prescience  oftimes  accompanying  genius.  Wyant  when  he  went 
abroad  to  study,  chaffed  under  what  was  to  him  the  unnecessary  ciceronage  of  a 
teacher,  and  as  did  also  the  master  Millet,  he  soon  forsook  the  ateliers  steeped  in 
tradition,  and  set  off  by  himself  untrammeled  bv  precedent  or  convention,  free 
to  give  full  expression  to  those  talents  with  which  he  was  even  then  so  completely 
equipped. 

The  tender  aspects  of  nature  in  the  .Adirondacks ;  at  the  edge  of  the  <leep 
wood  or  trembling  on  the  peaceful  meadow  stretches  of  his  native  land,  were  to 
him  all  sufficient  to  supplv  the  themes  on  which  he  builded  his  master-works.  In 
the  landscape,  with  his  new  understanding,  he  saw  revealed  those  poetic  beauties 
and  felt  those  subtle  harmonies  that  for  ages  had  failed  to  impress  themselves 
upon  the  consciousness  of  painters.  Such  was  the  clarity  of  his  mind  and  sight 
that  these  truths  observed  by  him  and  recorded  with  such  masterfulness  are  dis- 
cernible now,  even  to  those  of  us  who  ordinarily  hear  not  the  horns  of  Elfland 
blowing. 

He  has  been  called,  together  with  Inness,  the  father  of  .American  landscape 
painting,  but  he  was  and  is,  even  more  than  father,  for  his  genius  and  his  influence 
are  not  encumbered  by  time  or  by  international  boundaries.  In  him  there  was 
none  of  the  crudity  of  an  inventor,  the  uncertainty  of  an  explorer  or  the  timidity 
of  an  innovator  for  in  iiis  art  we  discern  at  once,  and  so  will  those  of  all  times 
be  altlc  to  discern,  the  repose  of  strength,  the  grace  of  mastery  and  the  siniplicitv 
of  truth. 


Alexander  H,  Wyant,  N.  A.   By  James  IVilliam  Pattisno 

WYANT  commenced  his  study  of  art  under  the  influence  of  the  Hudson 
River  School ;  also  some  of  his  work  bears  the  stamp  of  certain  paint- 
ers of  France,  members  of  the,  so-called,  Barbizon  group.  When 
matured,  his  painting  was  not  like  any  of  these.  Among  the  Americans  of 
this  period  none  struck  a  new  note  excepting  Inness,  Wyant  and  Martin; 
Blakelock  appearing  at  a  later  date.  To  make  pictures  in  any  prevailing 
fashion  may  call  for  talent,  good  execution  and  taste ;  but  these  are  not  the 
marks  of  original  genius.  To  commence  with  painting  in  the  fashion  and 
then  gradually  change  for  the  better  and  higher  is  the  mark  of  genius,  so 
acknowledged  the  world  over.  At  the  lime  we  speak  of,  the  elder  Hart  was 
painting  individual  facts  most  frequently  in  autumnal  colors.  His  trees 
certainly  bore  good  leaves,  and  in  his  complicated  foregrounds  a  botanist 
could  find  all  necessary  specimens.  The  bark  of  his  tree  trunks  was  pain- 
fully perfect  and  the  stones  on  the  hillside  invited  the  geologist's  hammer. 
So  did  his  clouds.  Whatever  the  time  of  the  year  his  color  was  rather  hot, 
but  it  was  all  in  the  fashion.  His  younger  brother  was  almost  exactly  like 
him,  but  affected  colors  approaching  coldness.  Bierstadt  had  been  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains — with  a  military  escort — and  brought  back  majestic  peaks 
seamed  with  details,  to  keep  company  with  marvelous  foregrounds  of  fern, 
sticks  and  stones  all  as  interesting  as  the  mountain  ;  so  that  the  art  critics 
wrote  glowing  descriptions  of  the  foregrounds  rather  than  of  the  peaks. 
Sanford  R.  Gifford  painted  prettily  and  interestingly,  but  not  in  a  large  way. 

Commencing  in  this  style,  Wyant  gradually  developed  a  sense  of  space, 
studied  for  its  own  sake,  painted  with  grey  tones  rather  than  with  gay  pig- 
ments. In  his  liveliest  work  the  colors  are  lively  but  never  smothered  in 
over-richness;  when  grey,  never  falling  into  cold  or  black  tones.  His  fore- 
grounds became  simple,  suggesting  confusion  but  reduced  to  surface,  noth- 
ing in  them  was  permitted  to  attract  attention.  In  the  old  Hudson  River 
painting,  a  tree  was  an  object  standing  against  the  sky.  With  Wyant  a  tree 
was  a  part  of  a  broad  scheme,  more  often  painted  into  the  sky  than  on  it,  and 
the  same  thing  we  see  often  in  the  landscapes  of  Inness  and  Blakelock.  In 
Wyant's  picture  every  part  was  inter-dependent,  not  independent  and  sep- 
arate. Above  all  was  his  color,  always  peaceful,  never  garish,  always  to  be 
dreamed  over,  never  to  be  struggled  with. 

Wyant's  pictures  are  not  collections  of  facts,  but  abstractions,  a  flowing 
together  of  forms  and  tones  for  the  sake  of  decorative  efifect,  each  tone 
leading  to  another,  each  dependent  on  the  other,  each  a  part  of  another. 
Perhaps  he  painted  a  scene;  always  things  floated  in  air,  and  this  was  more 
important  than  the  story  of  the  scene;  and  these  are  the  elements  of  poetry. 


Plate  XXIV 


A.  H.  W  Y  A  N  T— "W  i  n  o  n  a  Falls."  Size 
28,y2  X  22/2.  I'aintcd  in  1877.  'I  his  landscape 
was  painted  at  a  period  when  tlic  artist  was  a 
student  of  facts,  and  every  item  in  tlie  land- 
scape is  detailed  with  wcjndcrful  faithfulness. 
All  the  world  seems  to  be  in  love  with  this 
beautiful  i)icture,  because  of  its  interestin;.^  sub- 
ject and  the  master  touch  in  its  execution.  1 
iiavc  rarely  seen  a  work  more  universally  be- 
loved. — Loaned  hy  the  Owner. 


A.  H.  WYANT— "Adirondack  Woods,"  Size 
48  X  36 — The  faithful  drawing  of  these  woods 
and  the  broken  foreground  suggest  that  the 
scene  was  painted  from  nature,  at  least  it  is 
very  like  an  actual  transcript,  so  gracefully 
composed  that  we  find  pleasure  in  its  lines  as 
well  as  the  beautiful  tone  and  the  attractive- 
ness of  the  place.  The  color  is  cool  and  sooth- 
ing, though  so  strong. 

— Loaned  by  Ira  M.  Cobe,  ChicaRci. 


Plate  XXVI 


A.  H.  W  Y  A  N  T  —  "Mountain  Lake."  Size 
32  x48.  It  is  seldom  tliat  we  sec,  from  Wyant's 
easel,  an  extensive  mountain  scene.  Carefully 
studied  as  to  details  the  vast  space  and  nobil- 
ity of  mountain  form,  and  the  mystery  of  in- 
terveniufj  atmosplierc,  arc  beautifully  studied. 
Solemnity  and  disunity  reign  over  the  land. 
The  f^enius  of  Wyant  has  reduced  tlic  asi)eri- 
ties  of  actuality  to  poetry. 

— Loaned  by  the  Owner. 


A.  H.  WYANT— "Landscape."  Size  U)  x  20. 
In  this  jjleasing  composition  the  surfaces  arc 
precise  in  finish,  finely  paraded  and  over  all  a 
beautiful  atmosphere.  It  is  a  most  pleasing 
picture  in  every  respect  and  its  color  is  ten- 
derly softened  by  the  artist's  grey  notes  amid 
the  greens.  It  was  painted  in  one  of  the  artist's 
beautiful  moods. 

— Loaned  by  I'aul  Jumincl,  Chicago. 


A.  H.  WYANT— "Landscape."  Size  10  x  14. 
A  luminous,  loosely  ])aiutcd  canvas;  not  s])c- 
cific  in  colorino-,  e.\ce|)t  as  the  band  of  iand- 
sca])c  is  admirable  with  j^reenish  tints,  broken 
by  darks  and  subdued  gre}  s  gettinf^  greener  in 
front.  The  sky  has  no  colors,  except  the  su- 
l)erb  play  of  cool  penetrability  in  fine  finality. 

— Loaned  hy  the  (^vvtier. 


A.  H.  WYANT— "After  Spring  Shower."  Size 
22  X  30.  In  the  picture  a  pale  brciken  sky 
spreads  itself  ox  er  a  sutjj>estively  laid-in  land- 
scape, with  a  hand  of  clear  dark  tureens  stretch- 
ing across  the  niid-foregroiind.  ( )n  a  cain  as 
of  this  size  many  objects  may  l)e  introduced, 
but  Wyant  has  ke])t  it  all  in  reserxe  and  in 
tender  tints  of  i^rcx-  and  <;reen.  It  is  a  no])le 
exam|)le  of  the  artist's  ])oetical  paintinj^. 

—Loaned  hv  W    \'  Kcllcy. 


A.  H.  WYANT— "The  Marshes."  Size  3f)  x  5(). 
\\  yant  could  make  a  lovaI)le  i)icture,  of  impor- 
tant dimensions,  with  loss  material  than  almost 
any  other  painter.  We  have  here  one  of  his 
best  and  its  quiet  tones  are  distinctlv  colorful. 
These  long,  flowinj;-  lines  seem  restful,  and  the 
lakelet  makes  a  fine  center,  under  the  luminous 
sky.  The  soft  medley  of  clouds  also  sus^tjcst 
restfulness. 

— Loaned  by  Edward   I-'.  Swift,  Chicago. 


A.  H.  W  Y  A  N  T— "  Silver  Birches.  "  Size 
20  X  16.  'rii.e  well  drawn  forms  of  this  tangle  of 
trunks  and  branches  sngfjests  that  the  canvas 
went  outdoors  with  the  artist  and  the  clever 
use  of  subdued  silver  tints  seems  more  accept- 
able than  bright  colors.  .All  these  little  tonal 
pictures,  by  W'vant,  are  high  art. 

— Loaned  by  S.  C.  Scotten,  Chicago. 


A.  H.  W  Y  A  N  T— "After  the  Storm."  Size 
10  X  14.  A  marshy  rcacli  trembles  vai^nely 
next  the  foreground,  and  is  l^ordered  1)y  slight- 
ly rising  land  with  trees,  where  figures  are 
hinted  at.  y\ll  these  forms  melt  together  ten- 
derly and  keep  eonii)any  with  the  cloucly  sky. 
Like  all  landsca])es  hy  W'yant,  the  eolors  are 
subdued,  though  produced  with  a  variety  of 
pigments. 

— Loaned  by  l-'rank  C.  Stone.  C'liica.ii;o. 


Plate  XXX  1 11 


A,  H.  WYANT— "Fishing."  Size  8'4  x  lO-M- 
Wyaiit  painted  many  little  pictures,  experi- 
ments in  coU)r,  or  worked  off  to  relieve  his 
feelin<js  wlien  an  idea  claimed  attention.  A 
jjatcli  of  water,  surroundecl  by  a  smother  of 
herbage,  furnishes  an  excuse  to  lay  on  his 
brownish  gray  tones,  and  .some  greens,  uuvler 
the  luminous,  inpalpable  skies;  and  these  bits 
of  tenderness  are  fine  examples  of  his  work. 

— Loaned  by  S.  C.  Scottcn,  Chicago. 


A.  H.  WYANT— "The  Brook,"  Size  16x20— 
This  is  a  cool,  delicate  water  color  painting, 
handled  with  trembling  notes  of  many  sorts 
of  green  color,  broken  with  cool  earth  tones; 
a  lovable  soothing  picture. 

— Loaned  by  VV.  O.  Johnson,  Chicago. 


A.  H.  WYANT— "Sunset."  Size  10  x  8.  The 
(lashing  bnishwork  gives  brilHant  sparkle  to 
both  land  and  sky.  The  rich  note  of  sunset 
color  and  its  reflection  in  a  little  river  is  aug- 
mented by  darks  carried  quite  around.  Clever 
handling  produces  sparkle.  Nothing  here  is 
materialistic — all  suggests  much,  which  was 
the  i)urpose  of  the  artist. 

■ — Loaned  hy  J.  G.  Snydacker.  Chicago. 


IMate  XXXVI 


A.  H.  WYANT— "Evening,"  Size  12x16— 
This  solidly  and  broadly  painted  snnset  has  a 
brilliant  strij)  next  to  the  horizt)n  with  a  broken 
sky  of  blues  and  greys  overhead.  The  over- 
cast foreground  shows  us  dark  greens  and 
earth  tones.  Wyant  has  laid  this  in  witli  a  full 
brush  and  bold  modeling.  N'aturally  he  has 
made  this  a  brilliant  gem. 

— Loaned  by  llnckley  /\rt  Gallery. 


riatc  XXW  II 


A.  H.  WYANT— "Entrance  to  the  Forest." 

Size  18  X  25.  Kach  one  of  these  noted  artists. 
Wyant,  lilakelock  and  Inness.  indul'jcd  himself 
in  reducinfj  all  colors  of  nature  to  a  selected 
tonality.  In  this  picture  Wyant  has  schemed 
in  browns.  In  fact,  it  is  a  serious  (]uestion 
whether  strict  actualities  would  make  the  pic- 
ture more  accei)tahle.  This  is  ])icture  makinjj 
and  i)robal)ly  leaves  the  artist  free  to  express 
sentimrnt  rather  than  catalo.ijue  facts. 

— Lo;iiu'(l  by  Win.  V.  Kellcy.  Cliicago. 


Plate  XXXVIII 


A.  H.  WYANT— "November  Day,"  Size  IS  x 
28 — Like  all  Wyants,  this  is  not  specific  in  col- 
oring;  has  a  driving  motion  in  its  gray,  storm 
threatening  sky,  and  the  foreground  is  rugged 
and  weedy,  the  spots  of  naked  soil  interspersed 
with  greens  of  the  peculiar  color  seen  when  a 
storm  is  coming  up,  and  they  arc  broken  hy 
tan  tints.  The  woman's  figure  adds  necessary 
touches  of  white  and  brown.   A  sui)erb  picture. 

—  Loaned  b.v  Ralph  Ciuliiev,  Chicago. 


A.  H.  WYANT— "Dawn,"  Size  11  x  17— Again 
Wyant  resorts  to  his  sparkling  effects,  to  Iiis 
tangles  of  sliining  foliage  and  tree  trunks.  He 
did  not  intend  that  we  should  walk  heavily 
over  these  hills  hut  should  stand  waist  deep 
in  sparkle  and  tremor  and  this  indeed  is  poetry. 

— Loaned  hy  Ral|jh  Ciidney.  Chicago. 


A.  H.  WYANT— "The  Pines,"  Size  12x18— A 
luminous  little  picture  of  a  mountain  slope  in 
cool  greens,  partly  covered  by  a  forest  of 
young  pines,  generally  not  dark.  The  near 
part  is  a  broken  meadow  ;  a  liglit,  lively  sky,  of 
silver  gray,  seems  ready  to  weep  a  shower. 

— Loaned  hj-  l\alpli  Cudney. 


A.  H.  WYANT— "A  Woodland  Tangle."  Size 
\3x7y2 — As  we  talk  about  these  three  men, 
recurrinj^  examples  of  their  pictures  remind  u? 
of  how  much  alike  tliey  were  in  sentiment.  A 
tangle  of  branches  and  foliage  when  the  texture 
of  trees  glides  into  the  texture  of  overgrown 
foreground  cannot  fail  to  make  us  a  sparkling 
picture.  -Loaned  by  G.  H.  Buek,  New  York. 


Plate  XLII 


A.  H.  WYANT— "Evening,"  Size  14x20— 
This  far-reaching  landscape  rcjiresenting  the 
silent  air  of  waning  day  witli  delicate  sky 
tinged  with  red  and  yellow.  The  (|uict  smokes 
floating  lazily  and  the  shades  of  night  creeping 
gradually  over  everything  is  full  of  Wyant 
poetry.  The  dark  massive  trees  on  the  left 
seems  to  be  built  into  the  mystery  of  night 
and  adds  much  to  tiic  sentiment  of  the  hour. 

—  I.naned  by  the  Owner. 


A.  H.  WYANT— "Spring  Morning,"  Size  14  x 

20 — The  sky  is  extraordinary,  its  whitish  parts 

suggesting  a  shingling  of  clouds  over  the  entire 

heavens,  with  the  slightest  contrasts  of  light 

and  shade.    A  half-dchncd  distance  sits  softly 

in  this  sky,  and  varies  little  from  it,  which 

glides  upon  loosely  painted  land  of  the  usual 

greens  broken  into  Wvant  grays.    A  charming 

bit  of  poetry. 

— Loaned  by  L.  C.  Eastman,  Clinton.  Iowa. 


Plate  XLIV 


A.  H.  WYANT— "November,"  Si/.e  16  x 
On  a  canvas,  fjroinuliny  of  sonu'  nidetcrniinate 
Sray  tint,  W'yant  has  dashed  l)uld  brushfuls  of 
whitish  paint  in  llie  most  knowin'^.  hnt  the 
wildest  fashion,  (h^awini^  supcrl)  clouds.  'I'liis 
same  tint  of  underground  answers  for  the  dis- 
tant hill,  and  shapes  itself  into  trees,  meadow 
and  bushes,  gatherinsf  dull  «jreen  on  the  slope 
and  sage  green  nearer;  all  in  ca])ital  sentiment. 

— Loaned  by  Chas.  P.  Pinckard,  Chicago. 


Plate  XLV 


A.  H.  WYANT— "The  End  of  Day."  Size  25  x 
30 — How  the  massive  forms  in  this  picture  im- 
press us  with  the  trancpiility  of  the  liour.  We 
could  scarcely  imagine  that  Wyant  could  do 
these  solidities  when  he  so  often  handled  a 
(lancing-  lirush.  The  tonality  is  a  series  of  re- 
markably fine  l)rownish  tints. 

— Loaned  by  Chas.  P.  Pinckard,  Chicago. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK 


Ralph  Blakelock 


An  Appreciation 
By  Harriet  Monroe 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK,  whom  we  class  with  those  elder  American  masters, 
Inness,  Wyant  and  Martin,  is  scarcely  yet  an  old  man,  and  might  still  be 
in  the  prime  of  his  power  but  for  his  lamentable  loss  of  mental  health 
nearly  a  score  of  years  ago. 

Born  in  1847,  the  son  of  a  Xew  York  physician,  he  resisted  the  family  influ- 
ence toward  his  father's  profession  and  resolved  to  devote  his  life  to  painting  and 
music.  In  neither  art,  however,  did  he  seek  instruction,  but  prepared  himself  to 
be  a  painter  by  a  journey  to  the  far  west  and  life  among  the  Indians.  Probably 
his  experience  was  better  than  any  art  school  for  a  man  of  his  (|uality  of  mind.^ 
In  the  scholastic  sense  he  never  learned  to  draw,  or  accjuired  "the  manual  trick 
of  painting."  But  he  ac(|uired  something  better — an  original,  intensely  individual 
style.  He  was  indeed  a  combination  of  painter  and  musician.  His  sense  of 
nature's  rhythms  and  harmonies  was  musical ;  he  seems  to  play  them  off  on  lutes 
and  lyres  of  vibrant  color,  lie  reminds  one  more.  ])erhaps,  of  Chopin  than  of 
any  painter ;  in  fact  it  might  be  interesting  to  trace  kinship  of  temperament  be- 
tween these  two  great  artists,  these  i)assionate  dreamers  driven  to  melancholy  or 
madness  by  the  buffetings  of  fate  and  the  intensity  of  their  i)rou<l  desire. 

Blakelock  was  a  mystic  and  a  colorist,  and  the  solitude  of  his  intellectual  life 
turned  his  brooding  thought  to  flame  that  burned  him  up  at  last.  He  lived  and 
painted  with  singular  intensity,  acquiring  his  art,  building  up  his  own  techni(|ue — 
for  he  had  no  training,  experiencing  beauty  like  a  passion,  and  suffering  deeply 
over  his  efforts  to  express  the  mysterious  splendor  of  the  world. 

Here  was  a  soul  so  sensitive,  fiery,  highly  wrought,  that  he  could  scarcely 
be  at  home  on  earth.  And  the  world,  as  usual,  was  .slow  to  understand  him;  the 
pictures  he  worked  over  so  long  and  lovingly  it  bought  grudgingly.  s])ending  little 
money  and  less  .symjjathy.  Perhaps  the  ])oor  half-starved  artist  would  have  been 
consoled  could  he  have  known  that  "The  Pipe  Oance."  that  masterpiece  which 
he  sold  for  a  few  hundred  dollars,  would  find  its  place  at  'ast  in  his  owii  city's 
museum  and  be  valued  at  many  hundred  times  what  he  received. 

He  dreamed  and  brooded  over  his  pictures,  painting  and  scra])ing  out  and 
repainting,  keeping  them  in  his  studio  for  years.  Indeed,  no  public  demand  urged 
him  to  hasten;  he  could  indulge  to  the  utmost  that  dangerous  self-(|uestioning 
mysticism  which  caused  him  to  delay  and  destroy,  and  whicli  finally  sna])ped  the 
strings  of  his  delicate  instrument  while  he  was  still  a  comparatively  young  man. 

The  poetry  of  nature  was  his  subject,  a  poetry  which  he  embodied  some- 
times in  trees,  sometimes  in  flitting,  dancing  figures — Indian  figures  usually,  be- 
cause the  red  race  quickened  his  imagination  from  the  time  of  his  earlv  western 
journey,  and  expressed  to  him,  more  directly  than  our  own,  the  human  relation 
with  nature.  lUtt  whether  visibly  peopled  or  not.  Blakelock's  wilderness  was 
always  spirit-haunted.  Kach  tree  and  water-fall  had  its  .special  nymph  for  him, 
as  for  the  Circeks.  and  he  makes  us  feel  those  mysterious  presences  in  the  shadows 
of  his  imagination. 


An  Apprecialion 

By  James  IV illiam  Paiiison 


Ralph  Blakelock 


CTIV'ITY  becomes  work  when  inspired  by  the  love  of  gain;  when  not  paid 


for,  it  is  play.   Sometimes  paid  activity  is  joyful  work,  the  outcome  of 


^  ^  heart  feeling,  and  this  is  fortunate.  Who  enjoys  his  life  of  a  fair  after- 
noon, the  professional  ball  player,  adapting  his  movements  to  set  rules,  or  a 
group  of  boys,  full  of  young  life,  batting  and  running  for  the  joy  of  motion, 
never  trammelled  by  umpires  enforcing  abstract  rules?  The  one  carries  out  his 
game  correctly  and  cleanly,  the  other  only  pretty  well,  incorrectly  and  raggedly. 
But  to  whom  comes  the  joy?  Of  course  the  hireling  is  proud  of  himself  and 
conscious  of  his  rectitude ;  but  the  free  boy — give  us  the  boy,  always.  Blakelock, 
when  painting,  was  only  a  boy.  He  had  a  consciousness  about  art,  that  it  should 
be  Art  and  not  artifice  ;  a  landscape  should  not  be  a  catalog  of  physical  facts — 
first  a  sky,  then  a  distance,  then  a  midland  and,  finally,  a  foreground.  With  him 
a  tree  in  the  sky  w^as  but  a  spot  of  color ;  enough  like  a  tree  to  pass  muster  in  the 
judgment  of  charity,  but  so  dragged  into  the  colors  of  the  sky  as  to  be  a  part  of 
the  sky.  provided  we  be  allowed  to  call  that  a  sky  whicli  is  halfway  a  part  of  a  tree. 
And  on  the  other  hand,  the  same  tones  which  we  call  trees  seem  to  be  melting 
away  across  a  part  that  we  call  meadow.  Then  there  is  a  gradation  of  tones 
marching  toward  us,  step  by  step,  which  we  call  foreground.  In  the  midst  of  these 
indefinite  brush  statements,  there  is  probably  a  luminous  reach  that  assuredly 
suggests  gleaming  sky,  and  certain  no  very  defined  spots  that  may  or  may  not 
be  figures  moving  about.  I  doubt  verv  much  if  Blakelock  thought  of  anything  but 
the  march  of  his  coloring  which  suggested  to  him,  daylight  and  distance. 

Also  a  catalog  of  the  colors  used  might  be  made,  but  it  would  be  very  difficult, 
in  view  of  the  fact  that  we  have  only  a  photograph  to  look  at.  Even  the  painting 
itself  scarcely  gives  us  the  secret  of  his  colors.  He  so  laid  his  colors  that  parts  of 
his  sky  had  no  sky  colors  at  all.  as  we  imagine  that  they  should  be.  Why  did  he 
make  these  strange  compositions?  Simply  becatise  a  picture  was  to  him  a  continu- 
ous flow  of  forms  and  interlocking  colors,  not  placed  that  this  one  might  say  "sky," 
but  to  carry  a  continuous  sweep  of  colors  and  forms  around  and  around,  never 
halting,  never  failing,  but  always  moving  around  and  around. 

Blakelock  never  intended  to  paint  for  us  a  scene,  but  just  enough  hints  of  a 
scene  to  keep  our  attention.  He  painted  a  succession  of  lovable  tones  and  graceful 
lines  ;  almost  nothing  else.   Indeed,  this  is  your  true  picture,  this  only  is  Art. 

Blakelock  was  par  excellence  a  colorist.  Like  most  rich  colorists,  he  took 
pains  not  to  destrov  the  freshness  of  his  tints  bv  too  much  manipulation.  He  may 
have  painted  over  and  over  many  times,  but  never  tormented  the  color.  How  he 
did  it  I  cannot  tell,  and  I  don't  know  anybody  who  can.  but  preserve  it  he  did. 

We  love  Blakelock's  play-work  because  of  its  wantonness,  its  mystery,  its 
richness,  its  brilliancv  and  its  poetry.  Can  a  statement  of  separate  actualities  ever 
move  our  hearts  like  this  boy's — play  sustained  by  the  element  of  character 
called  ''Genius'"  ? 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "Seal  Rock,"  Size 
42x30 — This  uprij^ht  picture  shows  remarkahlv 
gleaming  light  in  tlic  sky.  a  warm  wliitc  sur- 
rounded by  rose-tinted  loose  clouds,  which 
melt  into  the  dark  water,  where  the  light  sky 
is  reflected  all  the  way  down  to  masses  of  rock 
populated  by  seals.  All  the  picture  is  remark- 
ably rich  in  color,  and  is  one  of  his  best. 

— I.oaiifd  by  S.   C.  Scotten,  Cliicago. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "Moonlight,"  Size 

5|-j  X  7^. — It  is  astonishin^j  what  an  etToct  of 
light  has  been  secured  iicre  by  the  sprightly 
handling.  Without  showing  colors  the  tone  of 
the  picture  is  very  beautiful,  inclining  to  a 
series  of  subdued  greens,  even  through  the 
sky.  The  photograph  is  not  cjuitc  Irutliful  be- 
cause the  glistening  sjiots  in  the  trees  sliould 
be  more  subdued. 

—  I-oaiied  hy  J   C,   .^iiydackcr,  Chicago. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "The  Last  Rays," 

Size  27  X  34. — This  is  another  grand  hurst  of 
light  and  surrounded  by  masses  of  trees  ami 
land  in  rich  neutral  colors  which  climb  up  on 
c'ither  side  and  cross  over  the  top  of  the  pic- 
ture. There  appear  to  be  fallen  leaves  on  a 
part  of  the  land.  The  color  the  artist  used  is 
wonderfully  vague  and  brilliant. 

— Loaned  hy  J.  Ci.  Snydacker.  Chicago. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "Pool  in  the  Woods 
— Autumn,"  Size  12x9.  The  lan(lscai)c  is  bril- 
liant in  color;  sky  a  remarkable  l)lue,  melting 
into  warm  white  at  horizon.  Intense  antnmnal 
notes  ot  yellow  and  red  make,  in  the  center,  a 
forcible  contrast.  All  thri)Ui;li  tlie  picture  are 
beautiful,  hi<jhly  colored  notes. 

— Loaned  by  Walden  W.  Shaw,  Chicago. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "Spring- Rock 
Cove,"  Size  2>7  x  27 — 'i  liis  is  one  of  two  pic- 
tures almost  exactly  alike  except  that  this  ap- 
pears to  he  painted  from  nature.  The  colors 
are  normal  for  late  summer,  there  being  no 
bright  colors  whatsoever.  There  is  a  coolness 
about  this  overshadowed  spring,  and  the  locali- 
ty invites  to  repose. 

— Loaned  by  the  Owner. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "Autumn,"  Size  16 
>^24 — In  the  middle  of  his  career  this  artist 
painted  many  pictures  of  tliis  minutely  detailed 
style.  They  were  wonderfully  luminous,  in- 
tensely sui^gestive  and  in  no  way  servile  imi- 
tations of  actuality.  It  is  (|uite  possil)le  to  de- 
clare this  his  best  period. 

—Loaned  by  .Albright  Art  Gallery.  Buffalo. 


Plate  LI  I 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "The  Ghost  Dance.  " 

Size  21  X  39. —  Like  all  this  artist's  presenta- 
tions this  is  a  Hoatinij  tui;ether  of  forms  and 
colors  to  sui^f^cst  light,  space  and  mystery.  It 
is  a  series  of  vil^rating  sjjots ;  a  mystery  in 
which  we  detect  wild  movements,  but  no  indi- 
vidual personages.  'The  forms  in  the  land- 
scape are  dancing  an  accouipaninieut  to  the  fig- 
ures. This  ])ainting  properly  entitled  "l)a\\  n,"" 
but  widely  known  as  "The  (Ihost  Dance.  "  i-- 
one  of  Blakelock's  most  famous  pictures  and 
probably  exemplifies  his  indi\idual  vie\v])oint 
more  than  any  other  single  canvas. 

— LoMiicd  by  ("lias.  P.  Piin-kanl.  Chica.s»o. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "T h e  Running 
Brook,"  Size  10  x  10— The  artist  lias  iiululj^ed 
himself  in  cc)niI)iiiiii,L;-  a  series  of  dark  jrreens. 
From  otit  of  the  mystery  and  confusion  steals 
a  tran(|uil  ])rook  and  the  sky  ])eeps  tliroiij^h  the 
trees  in  a  c<K|uetisli  wny.  All  over  the  land- 
scape is  a  multitude  of  j^leaminj:;-  dots  whicli 
add  to  the  delicious  confusion  of  a  woodside. 

— Loaned  1))  the  Owner. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "L  i  g  h  t  n  i  n  g  and 

Storm,"  Size  Hj,.,  x  12 — Here  \vc  have  a  typical 
Blakelock.  A  confused  land  with  only  suf- 
ficient form  to  explain  the  surface  of  the  earth 
and  tones  of  the  same,  carried  up  into  the  sky 
to  surround  the  magnificent  burst  of  ligiit  on 
the  aj)proachinj^  masses  of  vapor.  There  is  an 
immensity  of  the  space  and  a  power  in  the  a|)- 
proach  of  the  storm  that  make  the  picture  dra- 
matic.   Most  of  all  it  is  t^randly  simple. 

— Loaned  by  the  Owner. 


RALPH    BLAKELOCK— "Wood  Interior," 

Size  16x2-1 — 'I'liis  illustrates  the  xaricd  treat- 
ment by  the  painter  of  his  landseapes.  Instead 
of  the  usual  color  masses  thrown  together  for 
the  sake  of  effect,  he  has  here  \  ery  little  mas- 
sing' and  elaborate  study  of  leafage.  Such  ])ic- 
tures  from  his  hand  are  very  unusual.  'Die 
general  tone  is  brownish. 

— Lo;inc(l  liy  tlic  Owner. 


Plate  lA  I 


RALPH      BLAKELOC  K— "Ecstasy" 

Size  3U  X  38.  This  is  a  picture  of  considerable 
size.  W'e  are  standing  in  the  confusion  of  a 
hilltop.  The  confused  foreground  is  a  very 
warm  brownish-yellow  slope.  From  the  val- 
ley rises  a  mountain  top  of  strange  bluisli- 
green,  and  gleaming  over  it  and  through  these 
trees  the  lovely  warm-white  sky. 

— Loaned        Hackley  .\rt  (iallcry 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "Indian  Summer," 

Size  16x20 — The  picture  is  made  to  glisten  .'ind 
shimmer  by  mimljorless  dabs  of  paint  all  over 
it,  and  is  one  of  the  mellowest  in  the  collection. 
The  low-toned  trees  are  warm  green  and  dark 
bottle-green,  in  a  glowing  light  tmder  a  neutral 
^^y.  — Loaned  by  I'ialph  Cudney. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "A  Woodland  Sun- 
set," Size  26  X  32. —  It  is  a  picture  painted  lor 
the  sake  of  color  and  li.trlit  and  is  extraordinar- 
ily brilliant.  The  entire  surface  is  mottled  with 
rich  colors,  making  a  center  of  brilliancy 
around  which  the  forej2;round  an.l  tree  colors 
and  top  of  the  sky  in  their  darkness  form  a 
sort  of  frame.  The  trees  seem  to  be  i)ermcated 
with  light  although  they  make  the  dark  of  the 
picture. 

— Loaned  l)y  Charles  I'.  I'inckard,  C'liicaLfo. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "Morning,"  Size  12 
X  17 — Tliis  brij^lit.  clear,  yell< )\visli  ])icture  is 
very  well  suggested  hv  the  ])li()t()grai)li.  'The 
trees  and  distance  seem  to  swim  in  the  lumi- 
nosity and  all  the  foliage  trembles  and  sjjarkles. 
The  clever  way  in  which  the  artist  suggests 
the  rocky  foreground  without  too  much  atten- 
tion to  actualities,  helps  the  mystery  of  the 
lighting.  —Loaned  by  the  Owner. 


I 


t 


RALPH    BLAKELOCK  — "Startled  Deer," 

Size  11x13'/. — One  nf  tlie  artist's  richest  red 
autumnal  colorins^s,  the  reddish  tone  creeping 
through  the  entire  sky,  and  all  the  Iandsca])e, 
even  tiie  white  deer,  tinged  with  red.  Corners 
are  low-toned  and  very  rich. 

— Loaned  by  the  Owner. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "  Indian  Land- 
scape," Size  9x18 — Another  si)ecially  ricli  spot 
of  color,  ])ermeate(l  with  reddish  tones,  which 
even  invade  the  sky,  and  course  tliroug-h  the 
trees  ri<;ht  and  left,  ail  relieved  by  a  strip  of 
dull  blue  at  the  horizon  and  the  cloudy  sky  at 
the  toj).  —Loaned  by  the  Owner. 


t 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "Moonlight,"  Size 
16x2^1 — This  dream  of  night  could  hardly  be 
bettered.  The  very  simple  luminous  sky  seems 
to  pervade  every  part  of  the  landscai)c.  The 
picture  is  an  experiment  in  combinint:;-  l)luisli- 
green  tones  throughout  the  entire  space. 

— Lo.ined  by  the  Owner. 


n.iic  Lxiii 

RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "K  a  a  t  h  e  r  s  k  i  1  1 
Clove,"  Size  42  x  20 — The  locality  here  studied 
is  well  known  to  wanderers  in  Catskill  Moun- 
tains. The  artist  has  given  the  place  although 
he  has  changed  his  mountains  about  to  please 
his  own  fancy.  This  makes  much  more  of  a 
picture  than  the  actual  s])ot.  The  old  bridge 
existed  forty  years  ago.  The  general  tonality 
is  warm,  being  experiments  with  browns. 

— Loaned  h\  tlic  Owner. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "The  Camp  Fire," 

Size  6j/2  X  5>2 — This  is  another  l)cautiful  com- 
bination of  rich  tone,  heavy  trees  and  a  gleam- 
ing sky  behind.  It  is  a  note  of  great  richness 
and  very  exciting  to  the  inagination. 

Loaned  liy  tlif  Owner. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "Early  Moon,"  Size 
16x23 — The  simple  atmosj)heic  permeating 
every  part  of  tliis  little  canvas  gives  us  a 
strange  feeling  of  restfulness.  There  is  scarce- 
ly anything  here  but  luminosity  and  airy  space 
at  this  early  evening  moment.  All  forms  are 
blended  and  obscured  but  certain  forms  be- 
come strangely  visible.  There  is  but  one  thing 
can  come  to  our  minds,  and  that  is  the  poetry 
going  through  every  part  of  the  scene. 

— Loaned  by  L.  C.  Eastman,  Clinton,  Iowa. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "Indians  Camp- 
ing," Size  16  X  2A — Ac^ain  lilakclock  lias  made 
concessions  to  the  love  of  detail  in  pictures, 
but  the  treatment  is  so  simple  and  atmos])hcric 
that  we  do  not  trouble  ourselves  aliout  sim- 
plicities. There  are  few  I)rilliant  colors  but 
much  fine  tone  in  the  picture.  The  broad  shin- 
inq-  sky  serves  to  make  the  tent.  Iialf  lost  in  the 
foliage,  look  inviting  and  restful. 

— Loaned  Uy  the  Owiut. 


RALPH  BLAKELOCK— "The  Golden 
Hour,"  Size  8x  11 — \\  liat  is  better  than  a  pic- 
ture made  simply  to  express  a  tonality  and  a 
few  forceful  forms?  if  there  is  anything-  that 
we  may  thank  I'.lakelock  for  it  is  his  insistence 
u])on  simple  jioetry  and  no  interference  by 
c(jmmon place  literalisms. 

— Loaned  1)>  d.  W.  Duck,  New  York. 


nil-  t;il(f  plraaurf  in  prrBPiitinn  jum  th 
lit"  Ihr  liiaii  r.vhiliit  uf  uinrkr.  Iiii  .iIuupb. 
iiilakriiuli.  Iirlft  at  our  (Ehiraiju  (Sallpripa' 
munlli  uf  ifflarrl!.  1913. 


(£lijrai|ii  Ifliliiiaitlirr 


Woura  rpapprtfullg, 

Hltntltun  an^  iSirUptta 
\rui  IJorlt       Jlariii  Coiirimi 


